How much of a risk is it not earthing a ceiling light?

[cxgcxg]

It is a light with an earthing requirement but as I have no earth cable in the ceiling due to dated wiring I have fitted it anyway. I don't plan to touch it when it is turned on but I know so little about electrics I wonder if I am being foolhardy and have not considered the possible risks...?

I'm not sure if it's related but my gas cooker ignition (separate room, albeit adjacent) started clicking non stop a few hours after fitting the lights...!

 

[rebuke]

The earth or CPC (Circuit Protective Conductor) is there to keep you safe, if the light fitting requires one, then you *must not* use the fitting without one. What you have done has the potential to kill somebody, as in the event of a fault, the fitting could become live (even when it appears not to be on), and if somebody makes the assumption that it's the bulb, and goes to try and change it...

Also, any installation that has no CPC on the lighting circuit is probably old enough that it doesn't have RCD protection, so you haven't even got that to rely on - you need to either replace the fitting with a double insulated one that does not require an earth, or get an electrician in to rewire your lighting circuit in order to provide one...

 

[sparkwright]

You would be very foolish to leave this fitting unearthed.

Imagine if all the metalwork on it became live.

What kind of wiring do you have?
Doesn't happen to be singles in steel conduit by any luck?

 

[Lectrician]

You know you have done wrong.

No one is going to help your conscience!

 

[STI]

Just picture, the lamp has blown you dont know if its on or off, you dont know if there is a loose cable touching the casing you climb (partner. son daughter friend) the step aluminium ladders and you touch the light fitting.

O dear its on

 

[cxgcxg]

Would a shock from the mains kill?

If it becomes live, can the electricity 'arc' out of the light or is touch required? And would the light switch become live too?

 

[londonboy]

To be fair, he hasn't said the fitting is metallic

...Although it most probably is

 

[rebuke]

A mains shock is sufficient to kill you, whether it does or not depends on a whole variety of factors (e.g. how good the conductivity is between you and the voltage source, between you and 'ground', whether it travels across your heart etc), but no mains shock is 'safe'.

It's not going to suddenly spark across the room or anything like that, touch would be required. As for the light switch - it depends what type of lightswitch - I'm hoping given there is no earth that you don't have metal fronted ones, but just plastic ones, in which case the plastic should act as an insulator. If you have metal fronted lightswitches as well, then they should be replaced irrespective of the light fitting...

 

[cxgcxg]

The light switch has a plastic casing on the inside and seems metallic to the touch on the outside but I presume that the inner plastic is sufficient to act as a barrier.

Might there be any link between my gas ignition going off on its own and the new lights?

 

[gregers]

It is a light with an earthing requirement but as I have no earth cable in the ceiling due to dated wiring I have fitted it anyway. I don't plan to touch it when it is turned on but I know so little about electrics I wonder if I am being foolhardy and have not considered the possible risks...?

not to me

 

[cxgcxg]

Also - very sorry....are faults quite rare?

 

[rebuke]

Stop trying to convince yourself that the fitting is OK - it's not and needs to be removed or an electrician called in to rewire!

As for the lightswitch, does it have an earth terminal, if so then in general it will need to be earthed, and again, either needs to be removed or an electrician called in to rewire the circuit such that an earth is provided.

 

[cxgcxg]

In essence - yes, I know I have done wrong but I am trying to ascertain the likelihood of the fitting becoming live and the safest way to deal with it should I ever suspect that to have happened.

 

[sparkwright]

The thing with faults is that they are not planned. They are unexpected.

I assume this light is metal because you say it has an earthing requirement.

Remove the light and replace with a double insulated one, which usually means plastic.

If there are any other metal lights or metal switches, then I would imagine these need immediate removal too.

 

[londonboy]

The regulations state you cannot have unearthed metalwork, like you have, the regulations are written for a reason.